Why Rangers’ loyal Lee Wallace is one in a million

Lee Wallace has now played almost 100 games for Rangers (Picture: Getty Images)

Every once in a while a player steps onto the pitch that you just have to sit back and admire.

One of those players is Rangers left back and vice-captain Lee Wallace. When the full-back, who is adored by the Rangers support and is affectionately known as ‘Waldo’ by his teammates at Ibrox, joined the club in the summer of 2011 nobody would have thought he’d become the hero he is today.

His debut came in the first of many disasters of that year, a 1-0 defeat at home to Malmo in the UEFA Champions League qualifiers.

A few months after that and all hell broke loose at Rangers in one of the biggest financial meltdowns in sporting history took place.

While players such as then club captain Steven Davis, Steven Naismith, Steven Whittaker and Allan McGregor among others, refused to TUPE over to the new company, Wallace was one of the first to stay for the fight and get Rangers back to where they belong at the top of Scottish football.

Fast forward 18 months as he approaches his 100th game for Rangers and Wallace has been the standout success for Rangers in that time. Along with Lewis Macleod, he is one of only a small few who have performed consistently well since Rangers started their fight back to the top from Division Three.

Some people may say he has shown no ambition by staying at Rangers, but at how many other clubs would you get to play in front of 50,000 fans every other week? Especially at a level as low as SPFL League One.

Of course, playing in front of crowds isn’t the be all and end all, but Wallace has also still managed to receive international caps while playing in the lower leagues of Scottish football and is part of a club that is expected to challenge for the Scottish Cup and League Cup.

Following Rangers 2-1 victory over Brechin City on February 1, Waldo once again spoke of his delight at being a Ranger despite offers from elsewhere, namely Nottingham Forest who had two bids rejected.

Wallace could have asked to leave given the money that would be on offer in England, but the full back has stayed at Ibrox and looks set to continue on his path to becoming a true Rangers legend.

There aren’t many players like Wallace nowadays. Too many players would rather chase the money, not ‘Waldo’ and he should be admired for that.